United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Georgia

07/22/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/22/2026 10:54

Illegal aliens face immediate deportation for immigration violations

SAVANNAH, Georgia: Multiple defendants illegally inside the United States were sentenced in federal court and transferred to immigration authorities for immediate deportation.

The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker, and announced by Margaret E. 'Meg' Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

  • Homer Esau Vazquez-Mendez, 45, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Vazquez-Mendez was identified as an illegal alien in May 2026 during a targeted enforcement operation in Chatham County and taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
  • Manuel de Jesus Perez-Melgar, 32, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Perez-Melgar was identified as an illegal alien in May 2026 during a traffic stop in Port Wentworth and transferred to ICE custody.
  • Didier Mora-Tino, 38, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Mara-Tino was identified as an illegal alien in March 2026 in Ware County and transferred to ICE custody.

Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation is a charge applied to an illegal alien present in the United States after at least one prior removal.

"Federal immigration laws exist to protect the integrity of our nation's borders," said U.S. Attorney Heap. "Those who repeatedly undermine those laws will be held accountable, removed and returned to their country of citizenship."

These cases were investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Port Wentworth Police Department, Ware County Sheriff's Office and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Timothy P. Dean, L. Alexander Hamner, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karl I. Knoche.

United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Georgia published this content on July 22, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 22, 2026 at 16:54 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]